Which computer?! = o Created 16 years ago2008-08-14 19:59:22 UTC by Captain Terror

Help pleez! = o

I'm looking at buying this computer with ddr3 memory. I love the specs--nvidia 9800m gts, 17" with 1920x1200 res, 7200 200GB HDD, 1066MHz frontside bus, 3MB L2 cache and 2.26 core 2 duo--but i'm afraid about backward compatibility with my old games, and many 3rd-party progams--not least of which goldsource editing tools. Also i wanted to downgrade to windows xp professional which i'm told is impossible on this machine because of the ddr3 memory.

As an alternative, i'm considering this machine for 50 dollars less, which i'm fairly sure i can downgrade to xp (it only has 3GB of ddr2). It comes with a slightly less-powerful 9700m gts, 2.0ghz P7350 core 2 duo, 1066MHz system bus, and 3MB L2 cache. I have many dislikes about this machine though:
-makes my top-five list for ugliest notebook chassis of all time.
-15.4 screen and no number pad
-5400 speed HDD
-max resolution is only 1440 x 900 (which is gay)
The worst part is this is a substantially weaker machine for almost the same money, which kills me. If i'm spending this kind of money i want it to be perfect... and it isn't.

So any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm 90% positive i'm buying one or the other because i need a new computer now, i just would really appreciate some help deciding which one.

(inb4 everyone says don't buy a laptop and comments about Best Buy)

DDR3 shouldn't stop you from using windows XP.

o rly!? the geek squad guys said so. maybe they just meant i couldn't utilize all the memory, but i'm pretty sure they said they couldn't do it. I'll have to double-check that with them then. [/hope]

If you had to choose one of these and it would be your only computer, which one would u go with?

max resolution is only 1440 x 900 (which is gay)

Hurrrrr.

You're on a laptop for Christ's sake, you don't need a gigantic resolution.

I dunno i prefer running at that res whenever possible so i respectfully disagree. = ) which one would you pick if you had to choose one of those luek?

Neither.

I'd spend 1500 on a kick ass desktop.

why the fuck would you spend that kind of money on a laptop

Yes yes I know it's a lot but pretend you had to choose 1 or other...which one would you get?

The first one, obviously.

Who cares if it has Vista, it's a hell of a lot better then the second one.

On top of that, search for the serial / model of those same laptops. Bestbuy tends to rip you off, so see if it's cheaper anywhere else.

You wouldn't be scart at all about backward compatibility being it's 64-bit?

32-bit programs run fine on 64-bit Windows.

64-bit is a farce anyway.

Ant, how so?

Correct me I'm wrong, and there's no doubt I am, but I'm under the impression that the adoption rate of 64-bit hardware is incredibly slow, due to the fact that no-one's writing anything that takes advantage of it. Everyone's moved onto dual-core CPUs, where you can at least get some performance gain from most things without needing software specifically written for it.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all newer CPUs, including all new dual core CPUs, 64-bit architecture?

Edit: I'm right.

Well, i got the 64 bit gateway computer!

Installing Crysis and then Orange box right after. = )

32-bit programs run fine on 64-bit Windows.

Well i hope you're right but i tried installing Firefox as my very first application and it wouldn't even start the installation process. I downloaded Minefied (64-bit firefox) and it works fine tho.

I'll give a complete list of working/nonworking programs in a week or so in case anyone cares. If too much stuff that i like to use doesn't work, i'm taking this thing back and getting the other computer probably.

Well, I'm yet to encounter a program that doesn't work on 64-bit and I've been running it for about two months.

wow that's good news, now i'm not so scared of the big, bad x64 platform. = ) i googled and found other people complaining firefox wouldn't install on their x64 system too... weird.

What are your system specs btw i'm curious? = )

Pentium Dual Core 2ghz
GeForce 7600GS
1gb DDR2
Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit

Thanks for noting that there's a 64-bit port of Firefox btw! Never knew

lol ur welcome. = )

Here's a cool x64 software page that i found in case you didn't know, called Start64!.

btw does it matter where i install my program files in the (x86) or the normal directory? i just started installing crysis in the (x86) directory i think.

afaik, you should install 32 bit programs in the x86 directory, and 64 bit apps in the regular one.

i've never used a 64 bit operating system, but i think that the trouble alot of people have with 64 bit is driver incompatibilities - drivers must be 64 bit, but programs that are 32 bit will run fine. i think.

as for crysis, just install to the default location and it should be fine, i guess.